The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Marketplace => Topic started by: Pel on November 12, 2011, 03:06:09 pm

Title: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Pel on November 12, 2011, 03:06:09 pm
Hello,

Thinking of going away next spring for a short break, but have pets/livestock and don't know what to do, then look no further than Smallholding Sitting Service.
We take care of all your farm stock and pets needs; Experience with dairy goats and cows, pigs from weaners to full grown sows and boars, sheep, cattle, ponies, horses, dogs, cats, gerbils, guinea pigs, llama, rabbits and a lot more.

Prices from £40 per day (if food is provided or £45 if sitter is required to bring food) Plus travel expense (free if within 15miles of me and is an overnight sit).

I will be available from January 14th. Sittings can only be made between Friday evenings and Tuesday evenings. The area I am available to sit in is up to 2 hours from SA46 0LP
I have been running the business full time from July 2008, and now hope to continue with it part-time.

thanks for looking  :)   

Editing first post, as this is what most people look at:

I'm available for long and short sits. If your going away for 10 days or longer, I would consider going further into England.
I'm fully booked for July and won't be taking sittings after the 31st October ( I plan to be pregnant with 2nd child by then... if mother nature is being kind lol )
In general i bring my 2 year old son with me (he has been on sittings with a variety of animals since he was 3 months old), however if this would be a problem husband and grandparents can have him instead. Your pets and livestock come first.
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Nina on November 12, 2011, 09:26:52 pm
Can highly recommend Pippa - She sat for us in the summer - Sheep and cattle and it was a great service and allowed us to enjoy the holiday knowing they were in safe hands... Thanks again Pippa!  :farmer:
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: doganjo on November 12, 2011, 09:37:30 pm
Where?
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Dan on November 12, 2011, 09:50:01 pm
Where?

Quote from: Pel
The area I am available to sit in is up to 2 hours from SA46 0LP

HTH.  :)
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: doganjo on November 12, 2011, 09:52:57 pm
And for anyone else who doesn't know every post code in the book - its Wales ::) ::) ::)

HTH :P
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Pel on November 12, 2011, 10:49:34 pm
Yes I am in West Wales, Near Aberaeron. I used to go UK wide, but trying to combine it in with a local shop job so need to stay nearer to home.
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: suziequeue on November 13, 2011, 06:07:49 am
Very exciting.

We might actually get some holiday together next year  :) :) :)
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: northfifeduckling on November 14, 2011, 07:25:03 am
Dan, Annie, was does HTH mean  ???
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: thestephens on November 14, 2011, 08:22:49 am
think its "hope that helps"

HTH!
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: northfifeduckling on November 14, 2011, 08:29:52 am
it did  ;D ;D ;D :&>
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Pheasant pharmer on November 14, 2011, 10:07:35 am
If anyone from Cornwall needs a similar service I'm sure my father would be delighted to help out. He's a retired farmer who loves nothing better than spending time with animals!

Regards

Cathy
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Pel on November 14, 2011, 02:12:15 pm
I also have a website http://www.smallholdingsittingservice.co.uk (http://www.smallholdingsittingservice.co.uk)
I am insured with AXA and have a HND in Agriculture from Aberystywth (2008).

If you are in England (don't know how far into the south west she does), I know of a sitter called Jackie who may be able to help anyone out here website is: http://www.2-mindshorsesitting.co.uk (http://www.2-mindshorsesitting.co.uk)
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Tudful Tamworths on November 24, 2011, 05:24:46 pm
Pippa's excellent at what she does. I'd be more than happy to leave my place in her capable hands.
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Pel on November 30, 2011, 10:51:31 am
Thank you Liz  :)   To add Liz wrote an article about my services back in Christmas 2009 for Country Smallholding.
Nina hope to see you and family again soon  :)
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Pel on December 27, 2011, 11:27:28 pm
Hope you all don't mind just bumping it up.
To add if you are out of my area just a wee bit, say, on the bordering counties of Wales and are interested send me an email, and I will see if I can help you at all. Hope you all had a Merry Christmas.
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Chris H on December 30, 2011, 09:15:14 am
Hi.............I need a sitter for some time in February, can you e mail please?

We are at last moving North, but doing it in stages as I can't face all at once!
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Pel on January 01, 2012, 09:43:20 pm
I have sent you an email chris (well two, as I forgot to add starting dates) hopefully.

To add I will be available for both short and long sittings from the 8th February, going back to full-time self-employment (yay).
To date longest sitting has been 6 weeks, but If local (within an hour of SA46 0LP/Aberaeron) could do longer.
I also offer a discount on sittings longer than 10 days or more.
 
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Pel on February 08, 2012, 11:17:36 pm
Summer is nearly booked up now, so if your thinking of going on holiday during the school holidays please book soon to avoid disappointment.
I am happy to sit dog kennels, and continue the running of holiday cottages as well as smallholdings and farms. 
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: doganjo on February 08, 2012, 11:42:53 pm
Pity you're so far away, I've just turned down a  judging appointment because my own sitter can't come. :'( :'( :'(
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Dizzycow on February 09, 2012, 07:24:48 pm
Shame you're just a bit too far for me to come help you, Annie.
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: littleacorn on February 29, 2012, 09:12:43 pm
Just wanted to add to this thread to recommend Pippa. 

Hubby and I came back from a few days away today - Pippa (and Cae her adorable son) held the fort for us and it was wonderful to be able to go away and know that everything was in safe hands. 

 ;D
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Pel on March 01, 2012, 10:49:02 am
Thank you Littleacorn for letting us come and look after your animals. Your dexters have slightly changed my opinion of the breed, yours were very docile and cuddly  ;D
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: LulaB on March 04, 2012, 08:11:15 pm
Pippa, why oh why can't you move to the South West?  In fact, if you could bottle what you do, I think there'd be loads of takers!
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Pel on March 19, 2012, 02:25:29 pm
Sorry just seen this, been away on several sittings. How far in the south west are you?
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service - SW France
Post by: nelson on March 19, 2012, 09:09:56 pm
 :wave:

Could you sit in SW France - small holding with rare breed pigs and a few chickens plus a milking goat -  May 3- 6. Son is getting married in London.
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Pel on March 19, 2012, 09:21:01 pm
I'm sorry but I'm booked already from the 3rd till 11th May.  SW france would be very pretty, what are the costs of flights to there?
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: nelson on March 19, 2012, 09:41:23 pm
The current fare at the moment is 46 pound each way per person.  Stanstead -  Poitiers The dates are Arrive 2 May depart 9 May.
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: nelson on March 19, 2012, 10:51:01 pm
Oops I should of said £46 return. Plenty of food in the freezer - veg in the garden. The Boulangerie delivers bread daily. Our pigs are exceptionally friendly expecially the Berkshires. French Vet very good, and a reliable network of neighbours. If really interested please pm us.

Lorraine and David  :wave:
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Pel on March 24, 2012, 08:45:57 am
Nelson, i've got a sitter local to me who can thinks she should be able to help you  :) Pm sent.
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Ina on March 25, 2012, 10:27:38 am
Smallholding/farm/house/cat sitting is something I've done a bit of, but didn't dare do it to a greater extent because I was worried about insurance. So far I got around that by just doing it for friends and not charging (they just fill my tank with diesel or so), or having a contract as casual employee, in the case of "proper" businesses. A lot of people said I should do it full time, though. Can anybody give me a hint how to go about insurance and any other legal issues? (Another problem is my cat, so I don't like to go away too far or for too long... She's managed on her own for up to 10 days, though.)
Title: Re: Smallholding Sitting Service
Post by: Pel on March 27, 2012, 10:53:25 am
Hi Ina,

I got my insure with Axa, I can't ride on it, but that is prefectly fine for me. I tried getting a quote with NFU but they were useless.
I have a contract that i send to clients, which covers things like cancellation or what i can and cant do, and things like advise is just that and nothing more.
I also do my own tax returns, very simple.. and is very good because it means you pay your NI contributions which is great for when i became pregnant as i got MA.
Also when i advertise in local rags i can write it down as expenses and take it out of the business, rather than my own money.
What to charge depends greatly on where you live, a lot of the big agency charge twice as much as i do, and so do several of the english sitters, but where i live i can't charge that much otherwise i wouldnt have any clients. 
Try looking at animal aunts, animal angels, 2 minds horse sitting, and just put in google smallholding/farm sitting and look at their prices.
As for your cat, there are a couple of sitters who just do within a 15-20mile radius of their house, i have one local to me who mainly sits/visits cats and dogs and other small animals (as she lives near a town). There is also a smallholding/farm sitter down in devon that does this too.
If you've got any more questions, i'd be happy to anwer them.